


Poor, Poor Fool

by Shattered_Valor



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Alternate History regarding Era 2, Aquamarine is a Little Shit, Gen, Inspired By Tumblr, Lapis and Steven are only mentioned, Original Character(s), They are only added for the backstory, Unrequited Love, White Diamond is also mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 05:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12598908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shattered_Valor/pseuds/Shattered_Valor
Summary: Inspired by a prompt from writing-challenges-and-prompts on Tumblr.In an alternate timeline, Aquamarine is captured by the Crystal Gems (while Topaz decides to join them). While the Crystal Gems are away, Peridot and Aquamarine have a little chat. Some things that Peridot would rather keep secret are brought up.





	Poor, Poor Fool

**Author's Note:**

> The original prompt was:
> 
> “You love her. You really do love her. You poor fool. She’ll be the end of you.”
> 
> “Possibly. Not much to be gained from discussing it with you, though, is there?”
> 
> “What better person to discuss it with?”
> 
> \- writing-challenges-and-prompts.tumblr.com

“Oh, my stars,” Aquamarine suppressed a giggle and leaned back in her seat. “You _love_ her.”

Peridot frowned, glaring at Aquamarine through the containment field. _Don’t say a word, Peridot. Don’t give her something to work with._ She crossed her arms as best as she could and turned away from Aquamarine. Her limb enhancers pressed uncomfortably into her chest. Aquamarine laughed harder at the attempt. _Don’t say anything, Peridot._

“You really do love her. You poor fool,” Aquamarine shifted her wrists against her cuffs as she smirked.

A beat passed between the two gems. Peridot uncrossed her arms. She twirled her floating fingers around in irritation. _If she keeps_ staring _at me like that…._ Peridot spared another glance at Aquamarine, whose smirk grew tenfold at the attention. _I want to poof her and bubble her away forever._ Peridot rubbed her temples and paced around in the hallway. _But Steven insisted that we give her a chance…._

Aquamarine giggled once again and tilted her head forward. “She’ll be the _end_ of you.”

_Frack it._ “Possibly.” Peridot reluctantly agreed as she sped up her pace. “Not much to be gained from discussing it with _you_ , though, is there?”

“What better person to discuss it with?” Aquamarine innocently queried, her eyebrows raised in amusement. “This conversation will be between you and me. Besides, no one dares to visit a bad gem like me. Except for that Steven of yours.”

Peridot stopped pacing to glare at her.

“No one will ever know that a lowly, _Era 2_ , maintenance-class Peridot is hopelessly in love with an _Era 1_ , noble-class—”

“Shut up already,” Peridot hissed in annoyance; a floating digit pressed against the containment field.

Aquamarine’s expression fell for a moment; her eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, “Such hospitality.”

“Oh, only the _best_ for clods like you.” Sneering, Peridot leaned towards the containment field.

“Come now, Peri,” Aquamarine coolly purred her name. “What’s the harm? Tell me: what is it about her that enamors you so?”

Peridot stepped back with narrowed eyes. “Don’t call me that.”

“Indulge me, _Peri_. What is it about Lapis Lazuli that makes you more of a fool? I bet you’d crack yourself if only to make her happy for a moment.” Aquamarine smugly cooed, evidently unperturbed by the hostility. “Why is she so special to you?”

“You wouldn’t understand, _Mari_.” _Two can play at that game, then._

Shrugging her shoulders, Aquamarine rested her back against the wall behind her, “See? We’ve already moved on to pet names for each other. Besides, I know all I need to about White Diamond’s little _experiment_. I understand your situation just fine.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Peridot defensively crossed her arms.

“What a pile of chalk….” Aquamarine rolled her eyes and then prompted, “The Beginning of Era 2.”

Eyes widening, Peridot stepped further away from the containment field.

“Oh, don’t give me that look. Information like _that_ is easily accessed by someone of _my_ caliber on Homeworld.”

_It’s not possible. She_ can’t _know._ Peridot shook her head, “Whatever you found, _that’s_ a pile of chalk. The Diamonds typically have reports edited to remain in power.”

“I’m beginning to wonder whether or not you’re actually fractured.” Aquamarine gave her a bored stare as she explained, “After _the_ Rose Quartz rebelled, Pink Diamond became despondent. She was forced to get rid of her creations: the rest of her rose quartzes—gems she designed all on her own. So, she reluctantly bubbled them. Yellow Diamond became angry and demanded the rose quartzes be shattered; Blue Diamond did her best to mediate. …You know the rest, don’t you?”

Peridot sent the blue gem an unamused glare.

“Unless, you _want_ to hear me talk for the next few minutes? I’m not going anywhere, after all.”

With a heavy sigh, Peridot gritted her teeth and glared at the wall behind Aquamarine. “While the others argued over the rose quartzes, White Diamond decided to pool the Authority’s resources into creating ‘lesser gems.’ Gems less likely to rebel, gems supposedly without powers—gems like _you_ and _me_. As you said, White Diamond dubbed it: The Beginning of Era 2. Most of the gems created at that time were experimental. Many gems failed to form, a result of poor mineral makeup and rushed incubation periods.”

“Go on,” Aquamarine prompted once more; expression smug and victorious. “I _do_ enjoy story time.”

Peridot tensed her shoulders. _How does she know any of this?_ She felt the dull ache of her missing limbs once again. _It’s impossible for her to…._ A faint scream echoed at the edge of Peridot’s hearing. She recognized the voice as her own. A distant, aching memory. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She shook her head, dismissing the illusory sound. _Aquamarine’s trying to play me for a fool. She wants to make me vulnerable; whatever good_ that _will do for her._

“I refuse to deal with your schist!” Peridot snapped as she made her way to the stairs, which led up to the barn.

Aquamarine sputtered in protest, “N-now, wait just a moment—”

Voice lowered menacingly, Peridot gestured around the basement. “Some time alone will do a quarry lurker like _you_ some good.”

Behind her, Aquamarine inhaled sharply. The tension in the air settled heavily upon both their shoulders. _I don’t need to hear her lies._ Peridot sent her fingers ahead to open the basement door. A defeated sigh stopped her advance. She glanced over her shoulder to see Aquamarine seated upright. An odd look decorated her features.

“Don’t leave,” Aquamarine’s voice came out as a harsh whisper.

“What reason do I have to stay?” For a fleeting moment, Peridot felt the need to remain. _I know the feeling of isolation; especially in a strange place…especially here on Earth._

Nodding her head in an attempt to gesture around her cell, Aquamarine scowled at the ground, “Please.”

_I can empathize with her, yet I’m still angry._ Peridot’s gaze hardened, “You’re cracked if you think I’ll help you now. You have _yourself_ to blame for this. Topaz made her decision and you made yours.”

“Please, stay,” Aquamarine met her eyes and scooted closer to the containment field. “I don’t want to spend any more time with Steven than necessary.”

Peridot waved dismissively, “Pity.”

Aquamarine bolted to her feet as best as she could. She stumbled in her rush to regain her balance. Peridot hid her surprise at the genuine fear in Aquamarine’s eyes. _Is it a trick of the light or is she really scared?_ She stepped toward the containment field, peering down at Aquamarine. The blue gem pleadingly stared up at her.

“It’s lonely here, Peridot.” Aquamarine glanced down at the floor for a moment before meeting Peridot’s unconvinced stare again. “Don’t leave me here alone.”

Coolly regarding her, Peridot folded her arms over her chest. “You looked fine before I came down to see you.”

Aquamarine childishly stomped her foot on the ground and stuck out her lower lip. Her eyes narrowed into slits. She stepped as close to the containment field as possible, as if the action would help her in any way. Upon seeing no reaction from Peridot, Aquamarine paced her cell and kicked at the dirt around her. Peridot bit back a laugh as she observed Aquamarine. _This must be humiliating for her._ She looked down at her feet. _The others won’t be back until morning…._ _I’m stuck with her for company, just as much as she’s stuck with me._ With an annoyed grumble, Peridot knelt on the ground in front of the containment field. Aquamarine paused her petulant tantrum and stared at Peridot in surprise.

“I’m embarrassed for both of us.” The green gem lied as she shifted into a more comfortable position. “I’ll _indulge_ you for a while longer, Mari.”

For a brief moment, Aquamarine looked at Peridot in gratitude. _She keeps on surprising me._ It was quickly wiped away by a smug smirk. _And disappointing me at the same time._ Peridot rolled her eyes and gestured for the blue gem to sit back down.

“If you provoke me again, I’m leaving you down here in the dark.”

Aquamarine nodded her head in acknowledgement, “Of course, of course.”

“So,” Peridot drummed her fingers along the ground. “What now?”

“I…I _am_ curious.” Aquamarine finally sat down; the tips of her toes almost touching the containment field. “I don’t quite understand the emotions you Crystal Gems are so fond of sharing. I’ve heard of it time and time again when Steven visits.”

A thoughtful hum left Peridot’s lips as she stared at the blue gem. _Freely expressed emotions, friendship…._ She twirled her floating fingers around. Peridot turned her gaze to the ceiling. _Homeworld and the Authority discouraged self-expression for so long, it’s no surprise that many of us struggle to understand it. We make allies to survive or for self-gain, not for companionship. We buried our emotions to avoid punishment, so we focused on our jobs—things we were_ made _to do._ With a resolute nod, Peridot refocused on Aquamarine. Expectant blue eyes met her gaze.

“Emotions are complicated, as far as I understand them.”

“Yet, it’s easy for you to love others: Steven, the Crystal Gems, _Lapis_.”

The green gem shrugged. “It _looks_ easy, but it sometimes it _feels_ like something else.”

“How so?”

“The Crystal Gems say it’s different for everyone.” Peridot paused to collect her thoughts. “…I’d do _anything_ for them—they’re my family. I want to make them happy and help them however and whenever I can. It hurts when they struggle, but I feel light when they’re smiling.”

Aquamarine narrowed her eyes, “And that happens all at once?”

_If Steven were here, he’d probably have a better explanation._ “No…but sometimes it does? It’s difficult for me to describe.”

“Does your…’family’ return those feelings of love?” The blue gem scooted closer to the containment field and pulled her knees to her chest. “Is that a necessary thing when it comes to emotion?”

Peridot gaped helplessly at Aquamarine. _I don’t know the answers to these questions._ She looked away from her. _I don’t understand some of it myself._ Peridot nervously splayed out her fingers. They hovered above her limb enhancers with a slight tremble. She bit into the side of her cheek for a moment. _I should have left her alone instead; Pumpkin would’ve liked to spend time with me._

“I believe so. I read somewhere online that sometimes it’s difficult to love your family. In some cases, a person may not love you back.”

A genuinely curious spark appeared in Aquamarine’s eyes. “What would you do if your family doesn’t love you?”

“I….” With a helpless shrug, Peridot leaned away from the containment field, “I don’t want to find out the answer; I hope I don’t _have_ to answer that question any time soon.”

Aquamarine pursed her lips, “I see. Well, can you tell me about The Beginning of Era 2?”

Raising an eyebrow, Peridot regarded the blue gem with suspicion. “You said you found that information out on your own.”

“Yes,” Aquamarine nodded her head, “but I want a _firsthand_ account. What was it like? What happened? What did you do?”

_Well…I have nothing else to do._ “Alright, fine. When I first woke up….”

 

* * *

 

Upon opening her eyes, Peridot noticed the stark white room she was kept in. A handful of figures peered down at her, murmuring. _What’s going on?_ One stood out from the rest. Her features were sharp and stern; a smooth, white, oval stone rested where her right eye should be. In the depths of Peridot’s mind, she knew that gem: an agate, Iris Agate, to be specific.

“Our Diamond is becoming increasingly displeased with our previous results. Are you sure _this_ one is stable?” Iris continued to peer down at Peridot.

Something cold prodded Peridot’s arm as another gem spoke, “Why, of course! The batch this peridot emerged from was nearly perfect. Granted, the resources we embedded into the rock were lackluster….”

Iris lifted her head, causing her gem to shimmer—to Peridot’s surprise, it glistened in a combination of colors, a rainbow. She squirmed beneath the other gems’ gaze in an attempt to figure out their identities. _If I could just see…._ A cool hand was placed on top of Peridot’s head, forcing her still. Her eyes flicked upward to see the hand’s owner. An amused pair of green, half-lidded eyes stared down at her. _Vivianite…._

Peridot’s eyes glanced at rectangular gemstone on Vivianite’s neck.

Vivianite followed her line of sight and grinned, “Her eyes seem to be working quite well, Iris.”

“That’s what you said about the previous four batches!” Without warning, Iris appeared in Peridot’s line of sight. “…How are you sure it isn’t due to her visor?”

“Gems form with personalized bits and baubles all the time, Iris.” Vivianite chided as she pulled her companion away from Peridot. “You agates are always a bit much. This is a fine specimen from the experiment! We’ll need to run some more diagnostic tests but—”

Iris growled lowly, “We don’t have more _time_ to run tests, Vivianite! Will this experiment work or not?”

“Careful, Iris, that line of thought is damaging. She’s as much of a gem as _we_ are.” Vivianite tutted and placed a cool hand on top of Peridot’s head once again.

“Don’t try to fill your head with that schist, Vivianite. Just do your job while I do mine.”

Scoffing, Vivianite waved dismissively at the stern gem. “Then go _do_ your job and leave me to mine. Aren’t you supposed to oversee the Era 2 citrines today?”

“You dare talk back at me?!” Iris narrowed her eye and slammed her hand against the table Peridot lied on. “You’re beginning to forget your place, Vivianite.”

“ _Someone_ has to keep you in line!”

“And that ‘someone’ is _you_?” Iris stepped toward Vivianite and summoned a flanged mace from her gemstone.

Vivianite sneered as she pulled her hand away from Peridot’s head, “Yes, unfortunately my talent is _wasted_ on supervising you.”

Peridot nervously drummed her fingers against the table; the atmosphere in the room tensed. The other gems in the room murmured at the argument. _Citrines? The warrior-class gems?_ Peridot shifted her head around once more, catching sight of the other gems as they awkwardly shuffled out of the room. _Who were they?_ Once they were gone, the atmosphere seemed to change in an instant. Both Iris and Vivianite visibly relaxed, refocusing their attention on Peridot.

“You look uncomfortable.” Iris gruffly observed as she dismissed her weapon.

Vivianite rolled her eyes at the stern gem, grinning as she unclasped the cuffs that kept Peridot down on the table. “Sorry, we needed to get rid of the prying eyes in the room.”

Rubbing her wrists, Peridot sat up and curiously gazed at the duo, “Why?”

 

* * *

 

Aquamarine leaned away from the containment field, “ _Ugh_ , boring!”

“What?” _That conversation was important…._

“I don’t want to hear _everything_ , you dullard.”

_Rude._ Pursing her lips, Peridot propped up one arm and leaned against it, “What _do_ you want to hear then?”

“What sorts of things did you do for White Diamond?” The blue gem raised her cuffed arms in a vague gesture. “As an experimental gem made under her supervision, _surely_ , she wouldn’t dump you into Yellow Diamond’s hands that easily.”

Peridot rolled her eyes and nodded, “The successful Era 2 gems were assigned to bolster Pink Diamond’s forces on Earth. We were to help oversee the construction of the kindergartens.”

“Alpha and Beta, correct?” Aquamarine’s eyes suddenly lit up, “Ah! You must’ve crossed paths with _her_ then.”

The green gem raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, “ _Her_?”

“Any gem worth her minerals knows that lapis lazulis are designed to terraform planets. Is that where your affection for her started? You encountered your Lapis Lazuli during the construction of Beta?”

A frown spread across Peridot’s lips. “That’s none of your business.”

“I was only….” Whatever Aquamarine had prepared to retort with died in her throat.

Footsteps thudded on the floor above them, signaling the return of the Crystal Gems. The two gems shared a look. After a moment, Aquamarine turned her eyes downward while Peridot pressed her lips into a thin line. _I doubt this is conversation is over._ Peridot stood up and walked upstairs without a backwards glance.

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive the abrupt ending. I wrote this as a way of getting rid of my writer's block and as a way to ease into writing for the Steven Universe fandom. Granted, the characters are probably OOC but that will work to my advantage when I start publishing the AU I have planned for the future.
> 
> I've diverged from canon lore, I know, but I hope it didn't faze readers too much. I simply feel that much could be explored regarding the beginning of Era 2 and I enjoy putting characters into difficult situations.
> 
> At the very least, as long as the characters are recognizable, I am content with this work. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share! I'd love to hear what others think or what they didn't like.
> 
> And again, here's a link to the original prompt: http://writing-challenges-and-prompts.tumblr.com/post/164141893988/writing-prompt-dialogue


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